A sign on the awning proclaims the spot at the corner of Salina and Washington street to be the new home of Clark's Ale House.Don Cazentre | dcazentre@syracuse.com

The city permit allows Clark to install a dumbwaiter, a sort of elevator for food, to bring dishes like Clark's signature roast beef up from the basement kitchen.

Clark signed the lease for the space at 201 S. Salina St., at the corner of Washington Street, in September. He had hoped to be open by the day of the St. Patrick's Day parade this year (March 15), but renovation work to the building and delays in getting the dumbwaiter permit made that impossible.

The new space was once home to a jewelry store, but has been several restaurants in recent years, most recently Wise Guys Comedy Club/201 BIstro.

It was one of the first bars in Syracuse to embrace the then-new surge in American craft beers, and also introduced some European brands that had been unavailable in the area. It was known for having no TVs, no piped-in music and a limited food menu, and frequently made lists of America's top beer bars.

Clark has said he will keep most of the features, though he is expanding the number of taps from 22 to 32, and may add more food items as time goes on.

Related Stories

Food & Dining Sections

It can be hard to figure where to go for a good burger, or the best pizza, or the perfect place to enjoy a celebration. After all, there are lots of great places to eat in CNY. That's why we created our "Syracuse's Best Restaurants" series ... Read more»